GRS 180
CONFIDENTIAL
FM OTTAWA
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 92
OF 182145Z FEBRUARY 86
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA
A8
YOUR TELNO 62 (AND HONG KONG TELNO 500): VIETNAMESE REFUGEES:
RESETTLEMENT
I SPOKE ON THESE LINES TODAY TO SHEEHAN, DIRECTOR GENERAL IN EXTERNAL, THANKING THE CANADIANS FOR WHAT THEY HAD ALREADY DONE, AND URGING THEM TO DO MORE, PARTICULARLY IN THE LIGHT OF THESE FURTHER EFFORTS BY HONG KONG.
20
SHEEHAN TOOK NOTE OF THE NEW EFFORTS, AND UNDERTOOK TO BEAR THEM IN MIND IN INTERNAL CANADIAN DISCUSSIONS FOR ALLOCATING
PLACES FOR 1986.
3. THE FORMAL ALLOCATION FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM HONG KONG FOR 1986 IS 650, BUT TO BE REVIEWED''. THE CANADIANS HAVE BEGUN THEIR REVIEW, AND EXPECT TO ARRIVE AT A RE-ALLOCATION IN MARCH. SHEEHAN SAID THAT SOME INCREASE IN THE ALLOCATION FOR HONG KONG IS VIRTUALLY CERTAIN. WE SHOULD NOT MAKE USE OF THE . FIGURE PUBLICLY, BUT THE BEST AVAILABLE PRIVATE INFORMED GUESS WAS THAT THE FIGURE WOULD BE 450, BRINGING THE TOTAL UP TO 1100,
THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.
4. THEY WOULD ALSO BE LOOKING AT THEIR FIGURES AGAIN IN JULY AND AUGUST TO SEE WHETHER A (GLOBAL) SHORT-FALL IN ARRIVALS WAS PROJECTED. AT THAT POINT THERE MIGHT WELL BE SOME SLACK: IF SO, THEY WOULD LOOK FAVOURABLY AT THE POSSIBILITY OF A FURTHER INCREASE FOR HONG KONG.
5.
THANKED SHEEHAN ON BOTH COUNTS, BUT ENCOURAGED HIM TO TRY IN ADDITION TO COME UP WITH A HIGHER FIGURE THAN 450 IN MARCH IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, IN ORDER TO TOP LAST YEAR'S FIGURE IN
RESPONSE TO HONG KONG'S NEW EFFORTS.
LOOK AT THIS.
BAKER
LIMITED
HKC
SEAD
HE SAID THEY WOULD CERTAINLY
(REPEATED AS REQUESTED)
MKK 243/ RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
19 FEB 1986
UND
SPD
MR WILSON.
CONFLAVIIAL
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
102)Page 76
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